View from St Paul’s Cathedral 1964

A 1960s colour photo taken from the Stone Gallery of St Paul’s Cathedral in 1964, looking southeast across the City of London during the latter half of the 20th century. The right side of the frame is dominated by the intricate baroque stonework of one of the cathedral’s western towers. Below, the urban landscape reveals the dense network of streets including Cannon Street and Queen Victoria Street. Notable landmarks in the view include the tower of St Mary Somerset and the church of St Nicholas Cole Abbey. The River Thames flows in the background, with the cranes of the Pool of London and the distant silhouette of Tower Bridge visible under a hazy sky.

Today, while the historic churches and the cathedral itself remain perfectly preserved, the surrounding skyline has been completely redefined by modern architecture. The low-rise commercial buildings and post-war car parks seen in 1964 have been replaced by the glass and steel towers of the financial district, such as The Shard and the skyscrapers of the ‘Eastern Cluster’. St Paul’s Cathedral remains a protected focal point of the city, with specific sightlines maintained to ensure its dome and towers continue to dominate the horizon.